BRIDGEWATER - Watchung Hills High School senior right-hander Mike Murray Jr. hails from a family with a long list of athletic achievement. But he’s the family’s ace.

The Hofstra University-commit pitched 5 2/3 three-hit innings Saturday and was supported by James McKenna’s two-run homer and strong defense in a 5-0 triumph over Bridgewater-Raritan in the Somerset County Tournament quarterfinals. The fifth-seeded Warriors (9-8) will face No. 9 Montgomery (6-8) in the semifinals, May 14 at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater.

It’s the Warriors’ 10th county semifinals berth since 2004. They lost in back-to-back finals in 2015 and 2016, and last won in 2009.

Murray, 4-0, struck out five, walked four and hit a batter before being relieved by Joe Blajsa with two outs in the fifth. Blajsa, the starter and winner in last Saturday’s 8-1 first-round county win over Franklin, got the last four outs Saturday against the Panthers (5-13).

“We have had our share of the baseball gods not being with us,” Watchung Hills coach Joe Tremarco said. “So I’m hoping today was a sign that hopefully they are going to be with us a little bit.”
Murray’s fastball, curve and splitter were certainly with the Warriors.

“I just tried pounding the zone and let my fielders make plays,’’ Murray said. “I’m not going to try to overpower guys even though maybe I could. There’s no point when I have a good defense behind me. We expect the easy plays to be made and we pick each other up when they aren’t.

Murray said the team is very close. He has come to expect that as he’s learned from his very big and athletic family. His dad and mom and aunt and uncle were among the Watchung Hills faithful to cheer him and the Warriors on.

Among Murray’s cousins are two-time state wrestling champ Andrew Flanagan, and standouts Nick and Rob Murray, Alex Murray and Jim Huff, an assistant Warrior coach. His sister, Alyssa, and cousin Carly Murray were very good softball pitchers, and cousin Kyle Murray was a starter for Watchung Hills in 2011. From a very early Mike Murray Jr. knew his favorite sport was baseball.

And he didn’t just throw well against Bridgewater-Raritan. He reached on a one-out error in the third, stole second and came home on sophomore Matt Alarcon’s RBI single. With two down, McKenna hit his second homer of the season over the left field fence to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead.

“I got down 0-and-2 and was just trying to put the ball in play somewhere, hit it hard and do it for the team,’’ said McKenna.

Alarcon had three of his team’s five hits with a run scored. Watchung Hills got two more in the sixth on Jeff Poggi’s sacrifice fly, scoring Nick McGann. Andrew Martins then made it 5-0 by scoring on a passed ball.

Bridgewater-Raritan coach Max Newill said that his young team is taking its lumps as it goes through a very tough schedule. Because of early postponements, Watchung and Bridgewater-Raritan are meeting three straight times. Bridgewater-Raritan beat Watchung 8-3 Thursday, lost to Montgomery Friday night. The Panthers saw Watchung Hills Saturday and will see them again Monday in a Skyland Conference Delaware Division regular season game.
“We just don’t have the firepower,’’ said Newill. “But we’re going to try to win as many games as we can.’’